Homes are becoming more wired and connected with the proliferation of computing devices such as desktops, tablets, entertainment systems, and portable communication devices. As these computing devices evolve, many different ways have been introduced to allow users to interact with computing devices, such as through mechanical devices (e.g., keyboards, mice, etc.), touch screens, motion, and gesture. Another way to interact with computing devices is through speech.
One drawback with this mode is that vocal interaction with computers can be affected by background noise. This can be particularly problematic in the home environment, where audio devices such as televisions and radios, may output verbal utterances that the computer interprets as a user input. Accordingly, there is a need for techniques to cancel vocal background noise in such voice controlled computing environments.